Decatur rallies numbers for 2016

n The Bulldogs finished 1-8 in 2015.

Alex Lee
Alex Lee

DECATUR -- Decatur didn't field a football team in 2009 because of a lack of participation, and it looked like the Bulldogs might face a similar fate in 2016 -- until Monday, Aug. 15.

A maximum of nine kids showed up in early August preseason practices. For a sport that requires at least 11 to field a starting lineup, the odds weren't looking good for Decatur.

"It was a very real possibility," said sixth-year coach Shane Holland. "We were very iffy."

Holland said the situation was frustrating, but at the same time it wasn't totally unexpected.

Because of the town's socio-economics and demographics, it's often been the case that Decatur coaches didn't see a lot of their athletes in the summer.

Some have to work, some have to watch younger siblings, and some simply have no way of getting transported.

"A lot of times our kids simply aren't available in the summer," Holland said.

Holland and Decatur athletics director John Unger set the magic number of 17 to 20 athletes for Decatur to field a team this fall. As the deadline of making the decision to play or not to play football neared, the two men went to work to salvage this season.

"Coach Unger and I got together and we made a list," Holland said. "We made a list of males in our school and which of those kids could potentially be football players. We had some takers on the situation, so that was good."

By the first day of school on Aug. 15, Decatur's roster grew from single digits to 21 players, which Holland said, ironically, is one of the bigger groups the school has had.

"Last year I think we started with 14," he said.

Decatur finished last season with a 1-8 record -- its only win a 20-0 shutout of Western Yell County.

Of the 21 players, eight are seniors, led by returning quarterback Leng Lee (5-foot-6, 135 pounds).

Lee, who split time at quarterback last year with graduated senior Meng Vang, led the Bulldogs in rushing with 423 yards on 103 carries and five touchdowns.

Lee also completed 17 of 49 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns.

"Lee has taken a lot of snaps the last two years," Holland said. "He's started the last two years in the secondary and also returns kicks and punts. He's a nice football player."

Lee's little brother, junior Alex Lee (5-6, 150) moves into the primary running back position. Alex Lee rushed for 155 yards on 50 carries last year and will see his load increase.

Also at running back, Decatur will give senior Jafett Puga (5-9, 155) and juniors Johnny Brandon (5-6, 128) and Abraham Cheng (5-7, 150) some looks.

The Bulldogs will operate out of a spread-offense look with a one-back set; however, they might show some two-back looks as well.

At wide receiver, senior Wyatt Bingham (6-1, 140) is back after leading the team in 2015 with 20 catches for 208 yards.

Senior Marck Guadarrama (5-10, 165) didn't play last season, but has come back to the team and is a good athlete. He and Bingham will play outside receiver spots.

Sophomore Jimmy Mendoza (5-8, 135) and senior Troy Kell (5-7, 147) will play some inside receiver positions.

Junior Gary Woods (6-0, 120) and sophomores Cayden Bingham (5-8, 130) and Austin Hamilton (5-7, 125) also could get looks at wide receiver.

The Bulldogs could play a tight end from time to time and when they do it'll be senior Chris Yancy (6-1, 170), who did not play last season.

On the offensive line, Decatur is optimistic that a young offensive line will be able to gel and get better as the season goes.

Sophomore Melaton Hertado (5-9, 210) played the last two games as a freshman. He'll start at left tackle.

Junior Sebastian Perez (5-6, 162) also started last year and will play left guard.

Senior Brandon Coker (5-9, 213) started as a tackle last year but will move to center.

"He's the only senior of that bunch," Holland said.

Freshman Javier Perez (5-9, 235), is Sebastian Perez's younger brother, and will play a right guard.

"He's a lot bigger than Sebastian," Holland said.

Sophomore Cadence Howell (5-10, 215) started seven games last year as a freshman and he'll play right tackle.

"We've got four young guys there on the offensive line," Holland said. "That's good and that's bad. But they all run pretty well. They're a lot more athletic than last year's bunch. I think if we can keep them together, it has a chance to be one of the better offensive lines we've had since I've been here."

Senior Daniel Seo (5-7, 190), an exchange student from South Korea, junior Devin Doyle (6-0, 235) and sophomore Isaiah McIver (6-0, 240) could also see time on the offensive line.

Defensively the Bulldogs will play a four-man front.

Kell has locked up one defensive-end spot, while the other defensive end position is still a battle.

Holland said Hertado and Yancy appear to be the top candidates for the job.

At the inside defensive tackles, the Perez brothers are working along with Howell and McIver.

Seo, Doyle and Coker also could be options along the defensive line.

Coker was a starting defensive lineman for the Bulldogs, but he's trimmed down in the offseason. The better-conditioned Coker will move to a weak-side linebacker spot for the Bulldogs.

Alex Lee, and Cayden Bingham will play some middle linebacker, while Sebastian Perez could play there as well.

Brandon appears to be the front runner for playing time at the nickel-back position.

Cheng, Kell and Brandon are also options at linebacker.

Wyatt Bingham started all last season at cornerback. He could be joined in the defensive backfield by Leng Lee.

The coaches would like to get Leng Lee off the field some and so Mendoza, who was on Decatur's state champion mile relay team, could play there some as could Puga.

Puga, Guadarrama, Wyatt Bingham and Leng Lee also could play safety.

Hamilton could help out in the secondary as well.

Decatur opens its season Sept. 2 at Class 4A Berryville.

The Bulldogs were picked to finish last out of eight teams in the newly reconstructed 2A-4 Conference.

Defending conference champion Hector moves to the 2A-5 Conference and Union Christian left the Arkansas Activities Association to play eight-man football in Oklahoma.

Former Class 3A schools Danville and Lavaca dropped to 2A and were picked first and fourth, respectively, in the 2A-4 Conference. Hackett (10-2), which finished second a year ago, was picked second again followed by Mountainburg third. Picked behind fourth-place Lavaca was Johnson County Westside (5-5), Magazine (2-7), Western Yell County (0-9) and Decatur.

Sports on 08/19/2016